formating hard drive

[serlex]

never formated a drive before, its a 6GB (better than nothing), got windows 98 on it.
i want to delete everything and use it with my XP system.
can some one tell me
how to format the drive and how to install it to my current system as a new backup drive.

[floppybootstomp]

Create a Windows 98 boot disk, boot with it. At 'a' prompt type fdisk --> return.

Follow instructions.

Or, you may be able to fit it into it's new home and format it from there. (right click, properties, etc.)

[Allen]

Heh, I was gonna tell you the difficult way, then I reaslised you're gonna use it as a backup drive. You already have Windows XP installed onto your other drive?

It depends how you have your IDE channels setup at the moment. I'll presume you have the standard (HDD on Primary master, dvd-rom/cd-rom on secondary master, cd-rw or other on secondary slave - something like that perhaps?) setup so just add the second HDD to the machine on the Primary channel making sure to set it as slave. Then boot up XP, open explorer and right click on your old hard drive and select Format.

[funnelhead]

Well the simple way is to install it ( ie put it in the case and plug it in, making sure jumper settings are correct) and turn on the computer. Boot into XP and open up 'my computer' . The new drive should be listed there. Simply right click on it, and select 'format' .

Choose a file system - Ntfs for general win XP use, Fat 32 if you want either DOS or win 98 to be able to read the drive (ie you want to do ghost backups) , give it a name and click 'start'. Don't quick format, this simply erases the 'index' of the drive, without actually formatting the drive.

Hope this helps.

F

[Allen]

Floppybootstomp, fdisk is to setup the partitions, not to format.

[floppybootstomp]

Big Al: Yep, sorry, I was being brief. Forgot to add, once partitions have been deleted, 'format c:'

But, the method we've all outlined above seems to be the best bet anyway.

[funnelhead]

how many partitions can you fit on a 6gb drive?

love the picture AL, very eighties. Is it to remind us all the markymark used to be a dork, or to give us hope that any mulletlover can become semi-talented

[floppybootstomp]

How many partitions? I'd suggest a maximum of 6 x 1Gb, but I'd imagine you could make many more. Is there a limit? Dunno that one.

[funnelhead]

i was being fatuous. or is that fat32uous?

[floppybootstomp]

i was being fatuous. or is that fat32uous?

Ah. Oops. Oh dear. Damn. Hot diggity. Where's my SOH gone? Why, there it is, in the waste paper bin

[Allen]

love the picture AL, very eighties. Is it to remind us all the markymark used to be a dork, or to give us hope that any mulletlover can become semi-talented

It's coz I'm as big as him!

No seriously, I love the film. And I'm a horny mofo too! Would be my ideal job...